55 patents
Page 3 of 3
Utility
Electric propulsion power circuit
7 Dec 20
A circuit (400, 700, 800) comprising: a first power source (402) supplying first current to a load (470) during a first Period of Time (“PoT”); a second power source (416) supplying a second current to the load during a second POT; a Unidirectional Current Valve (“UCV”) in series with the first power source; a current detector (420, 702, 802) in series with the UCV (422); and a switch (424) in parallel with a series combination of the current detector and UCV to bypass the UCV during the second PoT.
Michael Madigan, Alexandr L. Kristalinski, Brian Koch
Filed: 1 Jun 14
Utility
Flow control system for a rocket engine with parallel fuel passage network
16 Nov 20
A flow control system (22) includes a fuel passage network (34) that has first (36) and second (38) network portions that are in a parallel flow arrangement with each other.
Mario Padilla
Filed: 30 Jun 16
Utility
Dynamic seal
16 Nov 20
A duct includes first and second bellows sections.
Arthur Coleman
Filed: 7 May 17
Utility
Copper Combustion Chamber Attached to Injector by Non-copper Weld Transition Ring
7 Oct 20
A rocket engine includes a copper alloy combustion chamber, a non-copper weld transition ring welded to the copper alloy combustion chamber, and an injector assembly welded to the non-copper weld transition ring.
Mark J. Ricciardo, Edmund B. Stastny, Lee A. Ryberg
Filed: 8 Oct 18
Utility
Solar array deployment
10 Aug 20
A method for solar array (28a, 28b) deployment includes deploying a first portion of solar cells of a solar array responsive to a first drag condition, charging a battery (26) with the first portion of solar cells, activating an electric thruster (24) at a first power level using the first portion of solar cells, deploying a second portion of solar cells of the solar array responsive to a second drag condition that is lower than the first drag condition, and activating the electric thruster at a second power level that is higher than the first power level using the first portion of solar cells and the second portion of solar cells.
Kevin Kelleher, Dennis Morris, Rodney Noble
Filed: 13 Sep 16
Utility
Rocket motor with concentric propellant structures for shock mitigation
3 Aug 20
A solid rocket motor includes a first solid propellant and a second solid propellant at least partially surrounding the first solid propellant.
Peter J. Cahill, Jr.
Filed: 27 Jul 16
Utility
Fragmenting nozzle system
22 Jun 20
A rocket motor includes a case and first and second nozzles in the case.
Phillip Stracener, Mark S. Derstine, John Mendillo
Filed: 18 Oct 16
Utility
Hypervelocity cannon
22 Jun 20
A modified projectile includes a projectile, a container, and a liquid propellant in the container.
Melvin J. Bulman
Filed: 30 May 17
Utility
Ignition system
4 May 20
An ignition system includes a multi-metallic ignition body that has at least two metallic elements in contact with each other.
Samuel Schlueter
Filed: 10 Mar 16
Utility
Rocket thruster nozzle with connectors and brace
4 May 20
A thruster nozzle (24) includes a throat (28) and a nozzle end portion (30) that is integral with the throat.
Matthew Todd Jakubek
Filed: 10 Mar 16
Utility
Valve assembly with adjustable spring seat
30 Mar 20
A valve assembly includes a valve body, a first spring seat disposed within the valve body, a preload spring disposed within the valve body and mated with the first spring seat, and a second spring seat disposed within the valve body and mated with the preload spring.
Mario Padilla, Gary Grenon
Filed: 25 Jan 16
Utility
Fragmenting nozzle system
23 Mar 20
A fragmenting nozzle system includes a first nozzle at least partially disposed within a second nozzle.
Douglass McPherson, Sr.
Filed: 2 Aug 16
Utility
Ground based systems and methods for testing reaction thrusters
16 Mar 20
System (300, 400) and methods (500) for testing a reaction thruster (100) in a vacuum environment.
David Q. King, Peter Y. Peterson, Justin M. Pucci
Filed: 6 Apr 14
Utility
End-burning propellant grain with area-enhanced burning surface
24 Feb 20
An end-burning grain of a solid rocket motor or other gas-generating device is supplemented with one or more sticks of high-burn-rate propellant embedded in a matrix of a relatively low-burn-rate propellant.
Scott K. Dawley, Mark Peyser Friedlander
Filed: 7 Jul 15
Utility
Ground Hydraulic System Hypergolic Slug Injection
23 Oct 19
An engine start system includes a facility that has a ground based hydraulic pressurization system and a combustor of a liquid propellant rocket engine.
Douglas Parker, Frederick Dodd
Filed: 10 Jul 17